Part 10 (2/2)
”One to Tabor Island, for instance”
”My friend,” replied Harding, ”I think that in any pressing eency we need not hesitate to trust ourselves to the Bonadventure even for a longer voyage; but you know I should see you set off to Tabor Island with great uneasiness, since nothing obliges you to go there”
”One likes to know one's neighbours,” returned the sailor, as obstinate in his idea ”Tabor Island is our neighbour, and the only one! Politeness requires us to go at least to pay a visit”
”By Jove,” said Spilett; ”our friend Pencroft has become very particular about the proprieties all at once!”
”I a at all,” retorted the sailor; as rather vexed by the engineer's opposition, but who did not wish to cause hi, ”you cannot go alone to Tabor Island”
”One coh for ineer, ”you will risk depriving the colony of Lincoln Island of two settlers out of five”
”Out of six,” answered Pencroft; ”you forget Jup”
”Out of seven,” added Neb; ”Top is quite worth another”
”There is no risk at all in it, captain,” replied Pencroft
”That is possible, Pencroft; but I repeat it is to expose ourselves uselessly”
The obstinate sailor did not reply, and let the conversation drop, quite deterain But he did not suspect that an incident would coe into an act of humanity that which was at first only a doubtful whiain approached it in the direction of Port Balloon It was important to ascertain the channels between the sandbanks and reefs, that buoys ht be laid down, since this little creek was to be the harbour
They were not more than half a ainst the wind The Bonadventure was then going at a very h land, scarcely swelled her sails, and the sea, susts
Herbert had stationed hiht indicate the course to be followed a the channels, when all at once he shouted,-- ”Luff, Pencroft, luff!”
”What's the matter,” replied the sailor, ”a rock?”
”No--wait,” said Herbert, ”I don't quite see Luff again--right--now”
So saying, Herbert leaning over the side, plunged his ar,-- ”A bottle!”
He held in his hand a corked bottle which he had just seized a few cables' length fro took the bottle Without uttering a single word he drew the cork, and took from it a damp paper, on which ritten these words:-- ”CastawayTabor Island: 153 W long, 37 11' S lat”
[Illustration: ”LUFF, PENCROFT, LUFF!”]
CHAPTER XIII
Departure decided upon -- Conjectures -- Preparations -- The three Passengers -- First Night -- Second Night -- Tabor Island -- Searching the Shore -- Searching the Wood -- No one -- Ani -- Deserted
”A castaway!” exclaimed Pencroft; ”left on this Tabor Island not two hundred oing”
”No, Pencroft,” replied Cyrus Harding; ”and you shall set out as soon as possible”
”To-ineer still held in his hand the paper which he had taken from the bottle He contemplated it for some instants, then resumed,-- ”From this document, my friends, from the way in which it is worded, we may conclude this: first, that the castaway on Tabor Island is a ation, since he gives the latitude and longitude of the island exactly as we ourselves found it, and to a second of approxilish or Ae”
”That is perfectly logical,” answered Spilett; ”and the presence of this castaway explains the arrival of the case on the shores of our island There must have been a wreck, since there is a castaway As to the latter, whoever hethis boat and of trying her this very day, for a day later and this bottle ht have been broken on the rocks”
”Indeed,” said Herbert, ”it is a fortunate chance that the Bonadventure passed exactly where the bottle was still floating!”
”Does not this appear strange to you?” asked Harding of Pencroft
”It appears fortunate, that's all,” answered the sailor ”Do you see anything extraordinary in it, captain The bottle o somewhere, and why not here as well as anywhere else?”
”Perhaps you are right, Pencroft,” replied the engineer; ”and yet--”
”But,” observed Herbert, ”there's nothing to prove that this bottle has been floating long in the sea”
”Nothing,” replied Gideon Spilett; ”and the document appears even to have been recently written What do you think about it, Cyrus?”
”It is difficult to say, and besides we shall soon know,” replied Harding
During this conversation Pencroft had not remained in-active He had put the vessel about, and the Bonadventure, all sails set, was running rapidly towards Claw Cape
Every one was thinking of the castaway on Tabor Island Should they be in tireat event in the life of the colonists! They themselves were but castaways, but it was to be feared that another o to his succour
Claw Cape was doubled, and about four o'clock the Bonadventure dropped her anchor at the ements for the new expedition were made It appeared best that Pencroft and Herbert, who kneork the vessel, should undertake the voyage alone By setting out the next day, the 10th of October, they would arrive on the 13th, for with the present wind it would not take e of a hundred and fifty miles One day in the island, three or four to return, they ain reach Lincoln Island The weather was fine, the baro then was in favour of these bravefar froreed that Cyrus Harding, Neb, and Gideon Spilett, should remain at Granite House, but an objection was raised, and Spilett, who had not forgotten his business as reporter to the New York Herald, having declared that he would go by swi rather than lose such an opportunity, he was ad was occupied in transporting on board the Bonadventure articles of bedding, utensils, arms, ammunition, a co rapidly accomplished the colonists ascended to Granite House
The next day, at five o'clock in the , the farewells were said, not without so sail made towards Claw Cape, which had to be doubled in order to proceed to the south-west
The Bonadventure was already a quarter of a ers perceived on the heights of Granite House twoand Neb
”Our friends,” exclaimed Spilett, ”this is our first separation for fifteen months”
Pencroft, the reporter, and Herbert waved in return, and Granite House soon disappeared behind the high rocks of the Cape